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[title]Pick up your cutlery, unfold your napkin and prepare for the most delicious news of the year: Time Out’s brand new list of the best 50 restaurants in London. And who better to help us in this momentous task than west London’s finest; Big Zuu and AJ Tracey?
Rappers, gourmands, and actual cousins, the dishy duo are lifelong foodies, as proven by their thoroughly likeable new show, Big Zuu & AJ Tracey’s Seriously Rich Flavours on Sky, which is out now. An exhaustingly-paced trip to some of the world’s bougiest restaurants, the pair are extremely watchable, relentlessly bantering each other over high-end haggis and gold leaf pizza. Zuu has done this kind of thing before, catapulted to fame with the Bafta-winning Big Zuu's Big Eats, in which he cooked for comedy pals such as Jamali Maddix and Lou Sanders. But AJ is new to TV, better known for being one of the UK’s most acclaimed hip-hop artists, with a new album, Don’t Die Before You're Dead, out next month.
We meet them in one of our hallowed Top 50 London restaurants; Brunswick House, chef Jackson Boxer’s chandelier-draped homage to bacchanalianism found in a delightfully dilapidated Georgian mansion in Vauxhall. The pair are having what can only be described as an extremely lovely time. Zuu orders everything on the menu, snaffling devilled egg after devilled egg, before casually picking up a baffled family’s £400 lunch cheque. AJ looks on sagely, occasionally shaking his head at Zuu’s more outlandish behaviour. With his 100mph yapping and insistence on serenading us on a grand piano with a song about farmyard animals, Zuu is the outgoing, party-focussed yin to AJ’s more laid-back yang. They are a comedy double act in the classic tradition, with a natural chemistry that makes them ideal dinner dates.
After 365 days of eating and reviewing, it’s time for the biggest moment on London’s foodie calendar - so click to discover our new Number 1 best restaurant (and the other godlike 49). Now it’s over to Zuu and AJ, for their personal hit list of London’s finest places to eat, from Turkish grill houses, to post-Spurs takeout spots, and the sloppy pizza they surprisingly rate as the city’s best.
London is the greatest city in the world for food. Discuss.
AJ: London is best for the variety and the level of variety. If you get Indian, it’s good Indian. Caribbean food, African food, Asian food, Italian food in London is all of a high quality.
Zuu: I think London is becoming the food capital of the world. Growing up, man was never really exposed to what we had to offer. Obviously, now I realise that you have all that top Michelin-star stuff, basically all the food that’s ever spoken about on Top Jaw. But you can also get incredible food for a tenner. The only city that rivals us is New York, but is the quality as good? No.
So what is the very best bougie London restaurant?
AJ: I like Gymkhana.
Zuu: Gymkhana’s really leng. I really like Lucky Cat because we had a birthday there that was really fun.
Tottenham cake is one of the best cakes of all time
AJ: My little secret one is Daphne’s in South Ken. It’s an Italian and they have a crab pasta that’s just to die for.
Big Zuu & AJ Tracey’s Seriously Rich Flavours is about trying the most expensive, luxurious dishes in the world. Whose idea was that? Did you do it so you could get to try some decent free food?
Zuu: Ha! It came from me and my wonderful production company, but we had another talent in mind. It was never actually for Trace, but I always wanted Trace to be on telly. One day I said, why don’t we get AJ? He’s my cousin, he’s also a massive rapper…
Had Zuu discussed this with you, AJ?
AJ: No, he had not discussed it with me. He kind of ambushed me with it. But I thought, as long as I’m with Zuu it’s going to be ok.
Zuu: We did a pilot in Courchevel and that’s when we realised Trace is amazing, because the producer was asking him questions and he was just being really real. That was sick to see because sometimes people become telly-afied. I feel like I’ve become telly-afied.
The luxury food in the show, is that your normal day-to-day diet?
AJ: That’s what Zuu eats day-to-day! I’m normally a bit more reserved and laid back; pub dinners and whatnot.
What’s the last big lavish dinner the two of you went out for?
AJ: Gordon Ramsay Hell’s Kitchen in Las Vegas. Zuu’s pals with Gordon so he sorted us out.
Zuu: You know what’s funny, Gordon gave me his number and tapped his phone on my phone, but it gave me every detail; his number, his email…
Are you his emergency contact now?
Zuu: I am, I’m his next of kin.
In one episode you mention Percy Ingle, the now-closed bakers in north and east London. Do you remember their Tottenham cake?
AJ: One of our first radio stations was right next to a Percy Ingle. I’m partial to a Tottenham cake. I think it’s the best cake. Tottenham cake with custard.
Zuu: It’s one of the best cakes of all time.
Do you heat it up? Or have warm custard, cold cake?
AJ: Are you ready for this? I do hot cake, cold custard.
You’re a massive Spurs fan. Where do you like to go after the stadium to eat?
AJ: Brown Eagle. My order is brown stew chicken, rice and peas, little plantain. Plantin not plantain.
Zuu: Brothers is also good, a Somali caff. And May10, they do jerk shawarma; Turkish Caribbean fusion.
Who is your food presenter inspiration? Are you Anthony Bourdain fans? Action Bronson?
Zuu: Literally those two people are my heroes. Action and Anthony are my favourites that I watch all day every day. But big up Trace because he put me onto a guy called Sonny for Best Ever Food Review Show. One of my OGs as well is Mark Wiens on YouTube. He is the GOAT. He just loves everything. Anthony Bourdain gets really deep and Action is very theatrical and emotional, but Mark Wiens just goes ‘wow, wow, wow’. If you do a shot every time he says ‘wow’, you’ll probably die.
When you were kids did the two of you have big family dinners together?
AJ: Not family dinners traditionally, but Zuu would come to my house, get all the ingredients and cook for me, my little brother, my mum, him, and all my brethren.
Zuu: There was a lot of me cooking at AJ’s house. I was about 25 minutes away on the 52 bus. I’d cook chicken wings and macaroni cheese. Sometimes a lasagne if I was feeling spicy.
Was it always good?
AJ: Always good.
Zuu: I think it got progressively better. AJ’s kitchen was a place where I would learn how to do stuff. His mum let me just fuck around and make 50 wings and then make the maddest macaroni cheese. Every time I’d do it, I’d look at the lads and be like, ‘okay, what do I need to do next?’ We were young, it wasn’t like Masterchef – Trace is not Marcus Wareing, but we were still real with each other. They were like, ‘it’s nice but it could be a little more spicy’.
We’ve just announced our favourite London restaurant of this year, but what’s yours?
Zuu: Mine will always be Roti King in Euston. I love it because it’s humble and they make thousands of roti a day so obviously the roti is going to be good. The rest of the menu is amazing and I just love the guys that run it. I’ve been going there for a while. I support Liverpool and I remember seeing it one day when I was getting the train there from Euston and thinking ‘what is this? Why are there people outside and what are they waiting for?’ Then I got hooked.
AJ: Mine is probably very cliché, but right now it’s Berenjak. I like to order the pomegranate wine, a lickle one. The koobideh’s great, the salad is amazing, and when you get the hummus they blend the black olives into it. I go to the Soho Farmhouse one the most. There’s a Little Berenjak there.
Zuu: He is bougie!
What’s the best first date restaurant in London?
Zuu: Le Bab, because it’s a little bougie, but not too expensive. If you take someone on a first date and spend £300 that’s crazy.
AJ: Don’t set the bar too high!
Zuu: At Le Bab you can get a few cocktails and a good kebab for 100 quid. It’s messy, and I think that’s a really good indicator of if this relationship is gonna work. How you eat that kebab determines to me if we’re gonna work. Are you gonna wrap it and pick it up and eat it like a proper kebab eater or are you gonna eat it with a fork and knife?
What would you like to see?
Zuu: Wrap it! Have no shame!
AJ: Honestly, I think it’s better to just go do something a bit casual, like grab a slice of pizza. As soon as you’re sitting down at a table it’s very formal, it’s a lot of pressure. If you grab a slice you can walk and talk. I like to people-watch. Pavilion Road in Sloane Square, there’s a little pizza shop there that I like [Bread Ahead].
Speaking of pizza – where does the best in London?
Zuu: For me, Tops Pizza [high street chain]. I don’t really like the London pizza scene. If I want a real slice, I’m going to New York. That’s why Tops is the best; an 18” pepperoni. Call the bossman and ask him to make it halal. BBQ base.
AJ: Urgh! BBQ base?
Zuu: BBQ base! You know you’re going to regret it in the morning. That’s my favourite pizza.
AJ: I’m not gonna let this guy sit here and give you food advice when he’s said ‘BBQ base’. I agree with Zuu though, the London pizza scene is kind of whack. The gulf between New York City and London is so wide.
Zuu: Tops is the best; disgusting, slimy, £12 and you can order it at 2am.
Do you have a favourite Turkish grill place in London?
AJ: Ooh, that’s a serious question.
Zuu: I live in Golders Green so I’m going to shout out my bossman; Likya. Always Likya. I’m getting everything. Heart, liver, hummus, ezme salad. I want borek. I want bread that’s been on the meat, the meat bread. I want full mixed grill. I want maybe a pide. I want sujuk.
Best hangover cure? A full English
AJ: My dad’s from Tottenham, but my missus is also Turkish, so no matter what, I’ve always been around Turkish food. I like Kervan (in Wood Green) – the way they season the meat is amazing. Every bite is full of flavour. I’ve done all of Green Lanes, and we’ve got a Turkish scene in west London, but the north London ones are definitely better.
Zuu: Shout out Kibele on Great Portland Street though. It’s like an uptown version of Turkish food but not crazy expensive.
AJ: And they have belly dancers occasionally.
Best hangover cure brunch place?
AJ: Best hangover cure? Hair of the dog. Get down to the ’spoons!
Zuu: For me it’s a full English, but if not, just order Joe & The Juice and pretend you’re being healthy.
Talking of alcohol, what is the best pub in London?
Zuu: I’m not a pub man – he’s the man [pointing at AJ]. This is your guy. He’s so English!
AJ: It’s so hard to pick. The one that comes to mind is a bit of a bougie pub; it’s called Ye Grapes Mayfair. But let’s not tell Zuu about it, it’s a secret. It’s quiet, it’s cosy and it’s always got the football on. They have Asahi on tap – that’s important for me, as a man who’s travelled Japan. If you’ve got Asahi on tap, you’ve got the punters 100 percent.
Zuu: I have no idea what you guys are talking about.
Do you like bars, Zuu?
Zuu: I do like bars! I like Soma, which isn’t a secret anymore because I said it on Top Jaw. I also love Simmons.
AJ: What?! You’re buggin.
Zuu: I love Simmons! The one on Golden Square.
Finally, what’s the best restaurant for hiding out in during a zombie apocalypse?
AJ: Surely Duck & Waffle?!
Zuu: I’d go to the hood where I’m from, Harrow Road, and I’d go to a Lebanese place called The Cedar, because zombies don’t come to the hood.
Big Zuu & AJ Tracey’s Seriously Rich Flavours is out now on Sky
Check out our new list of the best restaurants in London for 2025.
Thank you to Brunswick House.